Electrical receptacles



Nov. 6, 1956 POPP 2,769,898

ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLES Filed June 26, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

ww WW f/yzzw m/ ELECTRICAL FRECEPTACILES Rudolph .Popp, Valparaiso, Ind., .assignor to McGill Manufacturing Company, .Inc.,Va' lparaiso, Ind.,.a corporation of Indiana Application June 26, 1953,:Serial No. 364,462

6 Claims. (Cl. 240-81) The present invention relates generally to electrical receptacle devices and more'particular'ly to anew and improved assembly by means of which a plurality "of electric lamps may be supported in a cluster, "with'the lamps being individually rotatableto desired angular positions and .controlled by'a single switch "supportedinthe central bodyof the cluster.

Diiiiculties have been encountered in the past in providinga lamp cluster devicethat is simple in construction, easy to assemble andreliable in operation. vSuch devices usually include a hollow central bodywith lamp sockets rotatably mounted thereon and with relatively complicated .connecting mechanism for 'the sockets supported within the body, the connecting mechanisms providing electrical connections to the various rotatable 'lampsockets. These mechanisms in the devices prior to thev present invention usually comprise electrically conductive rings affixed to .the rotatable lamp sockets with connecting brushes attached to the energizingleads of the assembly usually througha switch, likewise supported in the centralbody.

The prior art arrangement described above utilizes an unduly large number of components and dueto'the construction of such units,these components, including the switching mechanism, are crowded within the .central body rendering the manufacture and assembly of the devices of the prior art exceedingly diflicult and complicated.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved lamp clusterassembly that maybe manufactured simply and expeditiously and which is constructed 'so that the various operating "components may be assembled within the supporting housing easily and conveniently.

A further object of'theinvention is to provide such an improved lamp clusterassembly of extremely simple construction and which involves relatively few andinexpensive components.

A feature of the invention is theprovision of an improved lamp cluster assembly that includes a hollow supporting body, preferably formed of molded insulating material, and which has such a configuration that .the various operating components'ofthe cluster maybe supported and housed "therein conveniently and without crowding so that the cluster maybe assembled .easily and quickly.

A more specific feature of the invention is theprovision of such an improved lamp cluster assembly in which the central hollow body has two transverse sections with a plurality of lamp sockets pivotally supported in openings between the s'ectionsand in which a switch receiving recess is formed integrally with the centralbody and pr- =trudes radially outwardly therefrom so that a switch may conveniently be supported within the body without crowding the connections to the lamp sockets.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of -such an improved lamp cluster assembly-'in-which electricleads are .used to establish connection to therotatably supported lamp sockets .to obviate theneed for the complicated connecting mechanisms of the :priorart.

A still further feature-.ofthe invention3is-..the provision nited States Patent "i ce of animproved lampcluster assembly having a plurality of lamp sockets rotatably supported in openings between two transverse sections of a hollow substantially spherical body to receive electric leads from the interior of the body, and in which stops are provided adjacent the openings to limit the rotation of the individual sockets and prevent damage to the leads extending thereto.

are believed to be-new are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself,-however, together with further objects andadvantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 shows a,perspectiv.e view of one embodiment of the invention;

.Figure 2 shows a front view of that embodiment;

Figure ,3 is a view partlyin section of the embodiment taken along the'lines 3-3.of Figure'Z;

Figure 4 is a sectional 'view of the embodiment taken along the lines 4-4.0f Figure 3; and

'Figure 5 is a front view ofa modified form of he invention.

The .electric lamp cluster of the present invention comprises a dish-shaped.hollowbodyhaving aswitch receiving recess formedin one side thereofand protruding radially outwardly therefromand further having an edge with at least one semi-circular opening formed therein. The cluster also includes. atleast-one lampsocket having a swivel joint disposed in the semi-circular opening. A dish-shaped cover member is ,provided havingan edge with a semi-circular opening formed therein which cooperates with the-opening in the body portion to form a socket for the swivel joint. .The cover also has a portion extending radially outwardly to enciose the switch receiv- .ing recess in the'body.

As shown in Figures =14, the electric lamp cluster of the invention includes a dish-shaped, substantially hemispherical, hollow molded body I10 of insulating material and which has'an edge with a-pair of oppositely disposed semi-circular openings l1--12"formed therein. A pair of lamp sockets 13, 14 also of molded-insulating material are rotatably supported by'body l0 and have respective swivel joints 15 and 16 disposed in the aforementioned openings. Swivel joints I5 and 16 have restricted sections 17 and 18 rotatably supported in openings 11 and 12, and the joints have enlarged sections 19 and 2t engaging the inner surfaceadjacent the-openings to maintain the sockets within the openings. Sections 19 and 253 have respective moldedintegralstops 21 and 22 extendis toward the center of the/respective opening. This allows tor-"easy insertion of the swivel-joints 35 and 16 within openings 11 and 12, and provides a resilient pressure on the joints so that the sockets 13 and 14 are firmly held at any desired angular position to which they may be set within the openings in the final assembly.

Body also has a switch receiving recess formed in one side thereof and protruding radially outwardly therefrom, the recess being angularly displaced 90 from openings 11, 12. Recess 25 supports a switch 26 therein which has an operating toggle 27 extending through an opening at the end of the recess and which is actuated by a chain 23. The switch is mounted rigidly in the recess by means of a knurled nut 29 to the neck portion of the switch. Switch 26 may be of any well known type and, for example, may be similar to that disclosed in Patent 2,577,362, issued in the name of the Present inventor and assigned to the present assignee.

The body 10 also has an aperture in the bottom there of for receiving a tubular supporting means 30 through which appropriate electrical conductors 31, 31a for the lamp sockets extend into the interior of the body.

A dish-shaped substantially hemispherical molded cover member 32 of insulating material is also provided having a pair of oppositely disposed semi-circular openings 33, 34 formed in its edge and which cooperate with openings 11 and 12 in body 10 to constitute therewith a pair of sockets for swivel joints 15 and 16 of lamp sockets 13 and 14. Cover 32 also has a portion 35 formed on one side thereof and which extends radially outwardly to enclose the switch receiving recess 25 in body 10.

As previously pointed out, tubular supporting member 30 also serves as a conduit for a pair of electrical conductors 31 and 31a which are connected respectively to a pair of screw terminals 36 and 37. Terminal 36 is supported on switch 26 and terminal 37 is supported within body 10. A pair of electrical conductors 38 and 38a extends from lamp socket 14, one of these conductors being connected to switch 26 and the other to terminal 37. Similarly, a pair of electrical conductors 39 and 39a extend from lamp socket 13, one of these latter conductors being connected to switch 26 and the other to terminal 37 In this manner, a direct connection is made from one of the leads 31, 31a to the lamp sockets and a further connection is made from the other of these leads to the sockets through switch 26. The provision of stops 21 and 22 and corresponding stops such as stop 23 limit the rotation of the sockets 13, 14 within the openings 11, 12 in the central body to one revolution. This prevents any possibility of the connecting leads to the sockets being damaged by excessive turning of the sockets and yet allows for substantially 360 rotation of the sockets to any desired angular position. As previously described, the sockets are firmly held in any desired angular position by means of resilient flat springs such as spring 24 in Figure 4.

It is to be noted that the lamp cluster of the invention may be assembled in a simple and expeditious manner merely by pre-connecting switch 26 to sockets 13 and 14; placing the switch in recess 25; inserting the joints 1S and 16 in the openings 11 and 12 with their reduced portions 17 and 18 bearing against the flat springs such as spring 24; connecting the leads 31, 31a to terminals 36 and 37; and enclosing the assembly by cover 32 which is secured to body 10 by screws 40. Due to the fact that recess 25 supports switch 26 to one side of the assembly, and since there is no complicated connecting mechanism to the lamp sockets, the above connections can be made quickly and easily.

The finished unit is inherently simple since the connections to the lamp sockets 13 and 14 are made solely through leads 38, 38a; 39, 39a and no bulky or expensive connecting mechanism is included in the central casing. With this simple connection, substantially 360 rotation of sockets 13 and 14 between the stops is possible with the sockets firmly supported in any angular position by the flat resilient springs in the openings.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1-4, the lamp sockets 13 and 14 are provided with respective cap portions 41 and 42, the cap portions being secured to the body portions of the sockets by rivets 43. The cap portions of the sockets, like the body portions, may be formed of a molded plastic material. The cap portions have integral projecting sections which cooperate with integral projections of the body portions of the sockets to form the respective swivel joints 15 and 16. That is, half of each swivel joint is formed by the projecting section of the body portion of the corresponding lamp socket and half is formed by the projection of the corresponding cap portion.

In the embodiment of Figure 5, additional lamp sockets r 13a and 14a are mounted in back-to-back relation with the respective sockets 13 and 14 to provide a four-lamp cluster. The connecting leads to sockets 13 and 14 from the central body of the cluster also serve as a connection to the additional lamp sockets 13a and 14a. The cluster of the invention is constructed so that this modification can be obtained in the most expeditious manner, it being merely necessary to replace the caps 41 and 42 with sockets 13a and 14a during the manufacture of the cluster, and secure such sockets to sockets 13 and 14 by rivets 43. To facilitate the flexibility of the manufacturing process, sockets 13, 14, 13a and 14a may be identical and formed from one molding machine, it being only nee essary that some simple provision be made so that the sockets which are to constitute sockets 13a, 14a are provided with integral stops such as stops 21 and 22 on the projections from cap portions 41, 42.

Switches are known which are constructed so that successive actuation thereof connects an energizing circuit to one lamp socket, then to a second lamp socket, and then to both lamp sockets. Such a switch is relatively large compared with a single acting switch. However, due to the shape and placement of recess 25, such a switch may conveniently be mounted and connected in the lamp cluster of the present invention. When such a switch is used, for example, in the two socket assembly, and high and low power lamps are placed in the respective sockets, a tri-light may be simulated. That is, in the first position of the switch, the lower power bulb is on; in the second position of the switch, the high power bulb is on; and in the third position, both bulbs are on.

The invention provides, therefore, a new and improved electric lamp cluster that incorporates a minimum of components and may be constructed in an economical manner and which, in addition, may be assembled with the utmost simplicity and in which a positive simple electrical connection is made to the rotatable lamp sockets included therein. These lamp sockets may be individually rotated and firmly held in any desired angular position. When so desired, additional lamp sockets such as 13a and 14a may be afiixed to the lamp sockets 13 and 14 in a simple and expeditious manner.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, modifications may be made and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An electric lamp cluster including in combination a dish-shaped hollow body having a switch receiving recess formed in one side thereof and protruding radially outwardly therefrom and further having an edge with at least one semi-circular opening formed therein, at least one lamp socket having a swivel joint disposed in the aforesaid opening, and a dish-shaped cover member having an edge with a semi-circular opening formed therein to cooperate with said opening in said body and constitute therewith a socket for the aforesaid lamp socket, and said cover having a portion extending radially outwardly to enclose said switch receiving recess.

.2. An electric lamp cluster including in combination, a

dish-shaped hollow body having a switch receiving recess formed in one side thereof and protruding radially outwardly therefrom and further having an edge with a pair of oppositely disposed semi-circular openings formed therein, a pair of lamp sockets having annular swivel joints respectively disposed in the aforesaid openings, said swivel joints defining respective openings into said lamp sockets, a dish-shaped cover member having an edge with a pair of semi-circular openings formed therein to cooperate with said openings in said body and constitute therewith respective annular swivel. sockets for said swivel joints, said cover having a portion extending radially outwardly to enclose said switch receiving recess, and electrical leads extending from said body through said swivel sockets and the openings defined by said swivel joints to said lamp sockets.

3. An electric lamp cluster including in combination a dish shaped hollow body having a switch-receiving recess formed in one side thereof and protruding radially outwardly therefrom and further having an aperture formed at the bottom thereof, a tubular supporting means extending through said aperture, said hollow body further having an edge with at least one semi-circular opening formed therein, at least one lamp socket having a swivel joint disposed in the aforesaid semi-circular opening, a dish-shaped cover member having an edge with a semicircular opening formed therein to cooperate with said opening in said body and constitute therewith a socket for the aforesaid lamp socket, said cover having a portion extending radially outwardly to enclose said switch receiving recess, a pair of leads extending into said body through said tubular supporting means, and further electrical leads extending from connections within said body portion into said lamp socket for connection therein and of such a length that said lamp socket may swivel relative to the body portion without disturbing the connections of said further electrical leads in said body portion and in said lamp socket.

4. An electric lamp cluster including in combination, a dish-shaped hollow member having a switch-receiving recess formed in one side thereof and protruding radially outwardly therefrom and further having an edge with at least one semi-circular opening formed therein, at least one lamp socket having a swivel joint disposed in the aforesaid opening, a dish-shaped cover member having an edge with a semi-circular opening formed therein to cooperate with said opening in said body and constitute therewith a swivel socket for said lamp socket, said cover having a portion extending outwardly therefrom to enclose said switch-receiving recess, a pair of stops respectively disposed on said swivel joint and on one of the aforesaid members adjacent said swivel socket to limit the rotation of said lamp socket, and a resilient flat spring supported in one of said openings and extending thereaeross to maintain said swivel joint firmly in said swivel socket and retain said lamp socket in any desired preset angular position.

5. An electric lamp cluster including in combination, a dish-shaped substantially hemispherical hollow molded body of insulating material having an edge with a pair of oppositely disposed semi-circular openings formed therein and further having a switch-receiving recess formed in one side thereof and protruding radially outwardly therefrom, said recess being angularly displaced by substantially 90 from said semi-circular openings, a pair of lamp sockets of molded insulating material rotatably supported on said body and having respective hollow swivel joints extending into said openings, said swivel joints each having enlarged sections engaging said body on both sides of said openings to maintain said swivel joints within said openings, a switching mechanism supported in said switch-receiving recess and having an operating control extending radially outwardly through a semi-circular opening in said recess, a dishshaped substantially hemispherical molded cover memher of insulating material for said body having a pair of oppositely disposed semi-circular openings formed in the edge thereof cooperating with said semi-circular openings in said body to engage respectively said swivel joints between said enlarged sections thereof to constitute a pair of swivel sockets for said lamp sockets, said cover member further having a portion extending radially outwardly therefrom to enclose said switch-receiving recess and having a semi-circular opening therein cooperating with said opening in said recess to encircle said operating control of said switching mechanism, a first pair of stops respectively disposed on said swivel joints, a second pair of stops disposed on one of said members adjacent respective ones of said swivel sockets and respectively cooperating with said first pair of stops to limit rotation of said lamp sockets, and a pair of resilient flat springs respectively supported in said semi-circular openings in said body and extending thereacross under said swivel joints and in resilient engagement therewith to retain said lamp sockets individually in any desired preset angular position.

6. An electric lamp cluster including in combination, a dish-shaped substantially hemispherical hollow molded body of insulating material having an edge with a pair of oppositely disposed semicircular openings formed therein and further having a switch-receiving recess formed in one side thereof and protruding radially outwardly therefrom, said recess being angularly displaced by substantially from said semi-circular openings, said body further having an aperture in the bottom thereof, a tubular supporting means extending into said aperture in threaded engagement with said body, a pair of lamp sockets of molded insulating material rotatably supported on said body and having respective hollow swivel joints extending into said openings, said swivel joints having enlarged sections engaging said body on both sides of said openings to maintain said swivel joints within said openings, a switching mechanism supported in said switch-receiving recess and having an operating control extending radially outwardly through a semi-circular opening in said recess, a dish-shaped substantially hemispherical molded cover member of insulating material for said body having a pair of oppositely disposed semicircular openings formed in the edge thereof cooperating with said semi-circular openings in said body to engage respectively said swivel joints between said enlarged sections thereof to constitute a pair of swivel sockets for said lamp sockets, said cover member further having a portion extending radially outwardly therefrom to enclose said switch-receiving recess and having a semicircular opening therein cooperating with said opening in said recess to encircle said operating control of said switching mechanism, a first pair of stops respectively disposed on said swivel joints, a second pair of stops disposed on one of said members adjacent respective onm of said swivel sockets and respectively cooperating with said first pair of stops to limit rotation of said lamp sockets, a pair of resilient flat springs respectively supported in said semi-circular openings in said body and extending thereacross under said swivel joints and in resilient engagement therewith to retain said lamp sockets individually in any desired preset angular position, 'a pair of leads extending into said body through said tubular supporting means, and further leads connected to said pair of leads and extending through said swivel joints to said lamp sockets to form a circuit therefor, with said switching mechanism being included in said circuit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,539,484 Herskovitz May 26, 1925 1,572,532 Herskovitz Feb. 9, 1926 1,801,991 Andersen Apr. 21, 1931 1,829,328 Andersen Oct. 27, 1931 2,075,364 Smith Mar. 30, 1937 

